The story of the Danes, Geats and the women
by numerous928
Summary: The entire poem but with two generations of love. BeowulfXOc and WiglafXOc.
1. Chapter 1

Beowulf Fic

Chapter 1

Hello my name is Arietta. I am a fairy common woman, average height and slender with a small frame, and long brown hair that matches the earth that match with a set of brown eyes who has the privilege to serve the mightiest and noblest in the kingdom of the Danes. I work as a wench in the holy Herot mead hall that our honorable king Hrothgar had made as sanctuary from war. Where warriors may relax and forget the trouble of war. I am here to tell the story of nobility, bravery and courage and my family. But this tale is not a joyful one, it is fill with demons of the night and deaths.

_69 years earlier_

The wooden doors of the mead hall swung open and I turn around seeing men boast as they crowded tables in high spirits. "Mistress!" The men calls banging their empty cups on the wooden tables, calling for the head wench Helena, my mother. I am only seven years young so I am not of age to be head care keeper it is a difficult to tend to. I turn to my mother, her face lined with faint wrinkles from a lifetime of cleaning up after men, but her hands are strong from the hard labor and she is a tough women to brake. With her chin high, back straight and her brown hair tied up on a bun high on her head she rolls up her sleeves to her dress and grabs a nearby tray.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." She says quieting the men slightly. I can feel my lips grow in a small grin on my face, feeling pride in my mother's strength. Hoping one day I can be as strong as her. I pick up a tray as well and walk down pouring drinks into nearby cups and only speaked when to spoken to.

"Aye Arietta!" a nearby warrior called and I hurry to the man's side. "Yes?" I ask. His mail shirt was thrown aside on the floor, his beaten helmet lays by his cup and his sword rests against his leg. The hilt peaking out from the sheath. "Arietta we once again return here with triumph! Do you not think that is not worthy of another round?" He laughs with his comrades and I nod with a polite smile and pour the bittersweet seductive juice of men into the cup. One by one I pour all night long after the moon has reached it's highest peak in the sky.

"All right ladies, it is indeed time to let these men lay peacefully in their drunken glory." My mother says pulling at her lace up bodice. All of us girls nod tiredly, worn out from the rowdy crowd. We shuffle blow out candles, gather cups and plates and toss aside trays till they tower high in sliver tower. We all walk to the back of the hall, our little quarters in a line my mother doing a head count as we all filter pass. I am the last one when our king, Hrothgar faintly calls out to my mother.

"Mistress?"

"Yes my lord?" my mother asks doing a small bow in his presence. The king pulls apart his lips, revealing white teeth that dare challenge the stars, and won. "Thank you for tending to my men, I am glad they are able to be spoiled by the finest care in the kingdom. May the lord, ruler of earth protect you and your girls another night so we may see you another morning." The king says as he says to my mother every night. And just as every night my mother's face redden at his kind words, taken aback by the compliment.

My mother bows, not able to speak and walks away, me trailing after her like a little duckling. That night I live out my routine, I change out of my long blue gather skirt, my white shirt and black vest and hung over the chair in the small square room I share with my mother, as head she received her own quarters. My mother changed me into a long white night shirt and tied the collar tightly around my thin neck. She comb and unknotted my brown hair that at the time only reached my small mid back. Then wrap me securely in the thin quilt as she went off to bathe, all the older women would bathe at night and we girls would in the morning.

That night, long after my mother returned and fell asleep clutching me to her body that I had thought I dreamt up a nightmare of the men not peacefully sleeping in the mead hall, but screaming in terror. But my young foolish mind force myself to believe that excuse.

When the moon had descended from the sky and the chirps of the morning larks rang out we all roll out of our makeshift beds and lay out our attires for the day, our mothers bathe the girls and helped us change back into our gather skirts, white shirts and our vests, weaving our manes into buns, locks occasionally prying themselves from our freshly combed scalps.

That morning, what we all thought would not diver from any other morning that was filled with dusting, washing, beating the rugs, and beating the men to wake. But when I walked out into the hall from the kitchen I came to different sight that I had left the previous night. My brown eyes filled up with tears and I let out a loud pitchy scream that the angels in heaven would wince out. My mother came running out, with the other women and girls and covered my eyes and my mouth with her strong hands trying to comfort me.

Herot was a sea of blood, red splattered onto the walls and the floors covered in a lake of red. Riped up bodies limps thrown about. The men who were usually still asleep gather around, mourning. "No! No! Keep the girls back. Do not let their young eyes gather in such a scene." My mother had ordered, still holding me, making me blind to the world. But I was not deaf, I could hear the moans of the men over their comrades, the gasp of the women and the cries of pain that we all shared.

"Who has done such a thing? Who dared stain Herot with sin?" My mother had asked. Speaking all the females curiosity. Then men's faces twisted into hatred and despair as our king spoke, the fiend's identity ringing out for all to hear of his sinful game.

"Grendal."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

On that morning, the women and my mother cleaned the blood and sent the girls to pray. Later that day the entire kingdom had marched and buried the limbs of the lost souls, not knowing which limb had belong to whom but those who had died were known. For the next twelve winters that was the new routine. I would pray with my fellow girls while the women cleaned the new freshly spilled blood. As time went me and my fellow girls had stopped praying, being replace by younger souls who needed it more. We now help cleaned the blood every dawn. We were no longer girls, but women.

I am now the age of nineteen, and had moved out from my mother's quarters, giving her the privacy she deserves and now sleep in the large stuffy room with all the other women, the girls having their own, smaller one as well that they all shared that I myself should have been in growing as a child. My brown hair grew passed my arse, as well my short body grew taller and I no longer need to go on my tippy toes to pour liquor. I developed breast and longer cheek bones and a sharper chin. I had grown out of my tiny vest and skirt, now wearing a blue gathering skirt that brushes the floor, a lace up bodice that shields my long button up shirt with large sleeves that could be wings.

Hope had died out a long time ago, with the dying population of our strongest men. Grendal, that beast that strikes at night, his claws sharp, his teeth hungry for their next piercing of human flesh would not take our bribes, warning or attacks. Hrothgar had tried it all. And the king was worried for he is too old to stand up to the monster and the beast could not die. We all were about to lose hope when a miracle had occurred.

"Arietta! Arietta! Have you heard?!" my best complain Gretla had shaken me out awake in my bed that was across from hers'. My brown eyes sluggishly pull apart to see her bright green eyes sparkling in the dim morning light, her pale blonde hair loose and tousled as she hovers over me with the biggest grin I have ever seen.

"What? Is it time to once again clean the blood?" I yawned noticing all the other women my age bubbling over with excited chatter and giggles, running all around, hurriedly changing. Gretla rolls her eyes "No, the lord has sent us a warrior! He is strong and brave and quite dashing which doesn't hurt." Gretla grin only grew and I just stare at her with a blank expression. "So he is here to defeat Grendal?" I ask.

"Yes, obviously. Oh and he is a prince!" she gushes excitedly which didn't stir anything in me. "Oh and he brought fourteen warriors, so if he fails I hope one will take me away from here and Grendal!" Gretla gushes dramatically. "That is no way to think. Pray that he will fight Grendal fairly and hope he will come back with earned glory also with his life safely in tacked. Positive outcomes only, Gretla." I say laying back down and curling into a ball.

"Arietta what are you doing? Get up!" Gretla orders shaking me once again. "Why? It is too early and we are not needed yet. These days are rare thus let me enjoy this moment to the fullest." I say. "But you have to see him! Come on!" Gretla orders tugging at my arm till I sit up.

"Why? Can't you just point him out to me when I am pouring later in the evening?" I ask as she yanks me out of my bed and to my feet. "Believe in me Arietta. This is a sight you must see to believe. You will thank me later, I guarantee it." She says.

"But I'm not even dress." I say. "You're not going out to go formally meet him, just throw on something. It is only a small peak." Gretla says as I rush to throw off my night shirt that now hovers on me knees instead of being the length of a gown. I throw on the first shirt I see which is Gretla's old shirt that the sleeves were chopped off after a horrible wine stain. The awkward ruffled up material barely stood in place, even with my bodice. "Oh no… I have to change shirts." I sighed reaching for my shirt but Gretla just threw my red skirt me at me.

"No time!" "But-" "Hurry!" I quickly slip on the skirt trying to tie the slash but for it to only get caught with the skirt while I holding up the torn shirt and trying to use my thin fingers to tie my hair. When we got to the doorway of our large quarter women swarm around it, whispering all trying to catch a glimpse.

"Well go on!" Gretla says her hand pushing onto my back, send me through everybody to the very front. I felt like a soldier on the front line. Which would have been fine if I haven't look so indecent. My brown eyes found Hrothgar on his throne, his back to us, unaware of us. Or maybe the king was pretending we were not eavesdropping. Then I saw fourteen men in two lines of seven each, whispering to their comrades and seizing us up with their eyes.

But when my eyes found the prince who was at front of both lines, standing tall with his golden helmet tuck under his arm and kneeling at Hrothgar my breath caught when his dark eyes took a glimpse at our direction and caught mine in mid stare. This man of noble blood, his large muscles clearly visible through the mail shirt he bore, his face beautifully chisel with his dark hair at his shoulders saw me.

Hand running through my loose hair, shirt dangling and my skirt at knee level because it was knotted. This prince saw me in this vulnerable, awkward state without proper attire. And you know how the noble brave prince reacted? By smirking and giving a low chuckle. My eyes widen and my face became hotter than the sun and I knew my face flushed. I let out a quiet shriek and ran, diving under my thin blanket and burring my face. "Well what did I tell you? Was it not worth it? Now where is that grateful thank you?" Gretla asks. I murmured out a low thanks, making her walk away with satisfaction.

Oh how I wish I hadn't. The prince now must think I am an easy tart who walks around half dress!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

My face is bright red as I pour the bitter liquid; man's sweet nectar into cups. My humiliation has not died down with in me. If anything it has risen and worsen being out in the open serving these foreign men. No doubt these men had also saw me parading around in my previous state but thus far through this evening not one man has mention my tentative subject. My curiosity is in wonderment as to why these men have not brought it to my ears or attention. It surely would be a good laugh among them despite my absolute humiliation. The men of Denmark that reside in this hall would surely be slaughtering my respiration if they were aware, and luckily they are not.

Also I managed to escape mother's watchful eyes and was not caught. If mother saw me dress like that… oh my imagination does not want to imagine the horror that could occur as punishment. Currently I am dwelling at the farthest corner in the hall, avoiding the Geat prince sitting in crowded table residing near Hrothgar's throne. Every once in a while my brown eyes flick up and dazedly admire the young prince's face from my distance. My face would only grow redder at the memory of horrible first impression.

Suddenly prince Beowulf turn his head, and darted his eyes far and straight at me. I froze, my nervous hands gripping onto the handle of the wooden pitcher. Our lock eyes bore into each other for what seems as long as a century, till the prince brook out into a toothy grin that made my heart stop and skip a beat entirely before beating with a hurried pace. I ducked my head low, hiding my redden cheeks and concentrating on the faint swirls on the wood tables.

I quickly stood back up, probably leaving that man's cup half full, and start rush away. Suddenly I felt a light tap on my left shoulder. I shudder a hallow breath before turning around to face the person. My shallow sigh catches in my throat and nearly chokes me when I look up to Prince Beowulf staring down at me. My mouth opens to say something but I shut it just as quickly knowing my place of only speak when spoken to.

He grins down at me, a grin mighty and charming enough to knock a herd of cows tumbling over. "Greetings." The prince says and I weakly nod, curtsying. "U-um, I-is th-e-ere somet-thing you need my l-lord?" I mange to ask while glaring nervously at the floor with red cheeks. The prince looks like he was in thought for a minute then broke out into another breath taking grin.

"I would like a tour of the infamous Herot." He says dazing at me with a sharp glance fill with curiosity. "O-oh. U-u-um r-right th-his way my lord." I force out, my heart pounding with each nervous stutter I release. We walk past a table into the stone constructed halls and I could feel my hands shaking. "Th-hese ar-re roo-ms… that are use for suitors…" I choke out hearing screams and moans and grunts rise behind the wooden doors. These rooms were intestinally built for sleeping but soon became rooms were men pleased themselves.

He stares at me then the doors then back at me and lets out a husky low laugh. "Sounds like they are weathering something wicked in there." He chuckles. "If you would like… I could fetch a girl for you…" I say suddenly able to talk normally but at such a shy quiet tone. Surely the girls who jobs weren't to satisfy would all come running at the chance. For some odd reason my burns and clenches at the thought.

"No, I did come to Denmark for many reasons. One for honor and pride and to try the legendary mead. Even to see the kingdom. But I did not come here for such an act." He says. I could not stop the sheepish grin that graced my face at his words. Most men of twenty one would love to ravish savagely a women but not him. My admiration only grows. He smiled back at me and gestured with his hand. "Shall we continue?" he asks. I grin and lower myself yet into another curtsy and nod. "Let us." I say as we walk further and away from the sounds of lust.

We walk into the now empty kitchen, all the cooks of made a grand feast and left. The prince walks up to a barrow and pours himself water. "No, allow me Prince-" I start but he cuts me off. "No no no you have been tending to others the entire evening. Rest. I can surely do this small task myself." He says. I meekly sit down on a near by stool and the prince sits across from me, handing me water.

"Thank you, you are so thoughtful prince Beowulf." I say sipping. He states at me "Address me as Beowulf. There is no need for prince or my lord. I am of just a man." He says. I stare up at him in disbelief. "Is that what you think? Men are… those out there." I say jetting out my chin towards the thin wall where we can still hear the wild cheers of the celebrating men.

"But you my Lor- I mean um… Beowulf." I say and he smiles at me. "You are so much more. Yes you are a champion. A man who has slain monster after monster. But you are a man of intellect. You do not fever after women; you did not boost like a wild hog and drink as if the sun will not rise the next day. You are a kind kindle sprit. Whose wisdom will set legacies in stone. Your heart is just as big as the muscles you use to destroy monster of darkness. Truly admirable. And that is why the title of noble is fitting an needed." I say then my face pales.

"Oh… I apologize I did not mean to ramble and speak out of term." I say looking down at the floor. I hear him hop off his stool and feel my heart burn yet again, knowing he will probably walk back to the mead, upset at my manners. But Beowulf did not do what I anticipate. Instead his fingers latched onto my chin gently, and slowly raises my head up till my brown eyes stare into his intense dark brown orbs.

"Admirable? Really?" he asks as if an excited child. I nod. "Through out my time all I ever get recognized for is my strength. And you… whom I have just met in such a short time… as seen me for so much more. Thank you." He says staring down at me.

I feel my face flush and nod again. "I speak the truth." I say. "…What is your name?" je asks. "Arietta." I say. "Arietta." He repeats tasting the foreign name on his tongue. "Such a beautiful name for beautiful girl." He says and I blush. I take note how his fingers are still place on my chin. "I am nothing special. Just a simple wench who will always be wenching." I say. He stares at me again, his grin making me nervous.

"Arietta, you see so much in me, if only you saw as much in yourself you amazing naïve girl." He says quietly. Then he pulls me up my hand and holds me close to him. My thin fingers nervously knot themselves into his mail shirt. My heart pounding loudly in my ears. Soon I realized he was rocking us in a circle. We're dancing. I smile up at him.

He grins down at me and spins me and I laugh along with him. I had never had so much fun in such a long time. He brings me back to his chest and his grip seems to tighten than before. Burying me closer in his large muscular body till our hips bones brushed each other, making friction. Once we had finished dancing we sat next to each other and talk. We hid out together as if children playing, as if we were in our own world. He allowed me to rest my head on his shoulder and he placed his head on top of mine and we stayed like that.

Till I feel asleep. And I had an odd dream where I thought I was half awake and Beowulf face lowered closer to mine. I dreamt that he had kissed me, I could feel the warmth from his cheeks brushing against mine, and the sensation from his lips.

It felt so real.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

My brown orb eyes snap open. My ears latch onto both sides pounded at the ruckuses surrounding me. Nobody was in giant room full of rows and rows ling the floor. No, the noises were not coming from the serving curators, no, but the mess hall of Herot. I climbed out of my bed and hurriedly change. In no time I was clad in my floor length skirt worn out as it is blue and my white shirt. I walk to the door separating this gigantic room and the bending and twisting halls that led to the baths, kitchen and the mess hall.

I open the door leading straight into the glorious mess hall and step out into the open. My brown eyes widen at the foreign sight that greeted me then tear over as tears fell down my cheeks. Gretla rushed over to me and wrap her arms around me, crying as well.

There was no blood.

For the first time in twelve years, my grim mornings did not begin with cleaning a pool of blood off the floor. Today the night had become day. The sight of boosting men, shouting merrily drunk slurs that usually occurs in the evening were practically erupting in front of my eyes. Even my stone hard mother was sporting glassy eyes. My joyful sobs weld up and burst as my air was caught and wedge in my throat. I cried a little harder at the sight of my mother's soften side.

He had done it.

Beowulf…

My eyes search for him up the long tables. I could feel my heart pound with extraction when I had found him sitting near king Hrothgar's thrown. His beautiful brown eyes caught mine and a humble grin of triumph appeared on his face.

In that one gesture of his, it told of how we the people of Den Mark are now safe and how he had won and come out unharmed. More tears sprang themselves free from my eyes and I could not help the large smile spreading onto my face through the falling water. Beowulf slowly got up and walked out of the room, no one had notice him leave without excusing himself because everyone was to busy celebrating to notice.

I gave Gretla one last squeeze then pulled away and started for the hall. I shyly walk past the thick wood door and walk down the title hall., Beowulf stood tall and proud at the end. I rush over to him and without a second thought I throw my arms around him in a hug.

"Oh Beowulf, Thank god you are safe! Thank you! Thank you! Oh thank you!" I cried into his shirt, my tears staining his shirt. When his hands raised and gently brush my hips before softly going to wrap around my waist when I realize my over bearing step. I jump backwards and kneel onto the floor, my skirt pooling around me.

"Oh sire, my apologizes, I had not meant to-" I had started staring down at he ground when he had caught me off. "We had gone over this, have we not? Arietta do not treat me as some lord. Address me and treat as Beowulf." I look up and stare at him in amazement. "Now shall we try that once more?" he ask in his smooth husky voice. After a moment I rose off the floor and hesitantly wrap my arms around his neck. Fast as lighting Beowulf's arms snap around my waist and pull me to his chest, leaving space. He was so much taller than me; he towers and surrounds my petite frame.

I buried my face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent; a deep aroma of wood and mountain air. My shaky hands grip on his shirt and I let out a sigh. "Thank you…" I say.

"I am so grateful to see that you are safe. I am so amaze by you. How ever did you do it?" I ask. He pulls away and takes my hand, his large rough hand engulfing my little hand. He leads me around, just strolling the hall till we reach a stone balcony over looking the kingdom.

"I am Beowulf, what am I to say? Is that one fact not enough?" he states. My face flushes and I look down. "O-oh… I apologize I did not mean to belittle you with doubt." I say prepared to sink lower into a bow. Beowulf reaches out and carcasses my cheek; urging my head back upwards as his fingers tentatively brush over my face.

"Fair Arietta I was only fooling with thee." He chuckles and I only blush a further shade on red and give a shy grin. "For starters that hideous creature brook down the doors and cross over the threshold and enter as if he had own this glorious place." Beowulf had begun, grasping my hand in his.

"Then Grendal had slither over to one of my men and I had watched as he rip him apart." Beowulf tensed and I step closer to him, wrapping an arm around his strong torso. "I am so sorry. But he is in a better place now." I whisper and Beowulf suddenly wrapped both arms around me and crash me to his chest. He leant down and whisper the rest of his tale in my ear, his sharp breath making me wreath with turmoil inside me.

"After that Grendal started to make his way towards me but then I had seize him, twisted his arm behind him as if a puny vine and force that beast down. And do you know what I did then?" He ended off with a question and buried his face in my neck. I weakly shoke my head no, not able to answer.

"I pull his arm from his socket and hung it." he says. My eyes fall close at that horrible fact; that harsh honesty. I shudder with disgust and fear but do not say a word. "O-oh. You truly are incredible." I force out. He pulls away slightly, till the tip of our heads rest against one other's. "Also did I mention I had done that task without a stitch of cloth?" he says with a cheeky grin plastered on his face.

My eyes grow wide and I gasp, my hands cupping my dropping jaw. "Oh my…" I say and bursts out laughing nervously since had no idea what else to do. I couldn't stop laughing and before I knew it Beowulf was laughing along with me.

"Yes well when I return home I will be a hero." He says once our bubbling fit of chuckles have died down. I go rigid and force a grin. That is right, Beowulf only came here on a journey, nothing more than a thrill seeking adventure. Now that he has completed his task he will return to the kingdom of Geets; he will leave me. He never really was mine to belong to in the first place.

"And you will return with well earn honor." I say and pull away from the embrace and start to walk back to the mess hall. "Do you wish to return with me, Arietta?" I come to a halt, my breath catching in my throat. Tears stem from my eyes but I force to stay in place. "What? I do not believe I heard you correctly." I say spinning around to face Beowulf once more.

"No, your beautiful little ears did not misunderstand." Beowulf says walking closer to me and placing his hands on both my shoulders. "Arietta I want you to embark back with me, to leave Herot. There is nothing for you here, and your kind kindle soul has captured me. I need you in my life. Return with me and be my queen. Throughout my entire life I have been praised as only a monster slayer, but you, you, wonderfully good nature Arietta has seen so much more than a vanquisher of demons. You saw me. I can not live my life without you. Please return with me, for I love you Arietta." Beowulf says in one mighty proclamation. Beowulf lowers his head and kisses me just like in my dream. But I am aware now that the previous night was not a dream, now tasting Beowulf's sweet lips fully awake I know this sensation is familiar.

I smile against his mouth and wrap my arms around his neck as he loops his muscular arms around my waist. When we pull away I cup his cheek and place another peck among his lips.

"Yes, Beowulf. Yes! I will return with you, because I love you as well." I whisper against his lips staring up into his breath taking brown orbs. He kisses me once more and scoops me up gently in his arms and starts his way towards one of the empty bed chambers.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

My face is still flush from what had just happened with Beowulf. As I clear a table I could not help but feel pain slightly. Not only did my body feel sore from losing my innocence I felt oddly different. For some reason I feel more… confident and I feel as though my mind has just collected wisdom that is restricted for only a selective people who are allowed to gather.

I smile to myself as I cleaned the wooden table realizing that I am no longer a girl. When the table is so clean that I can deem it spotless I stand back up only to catch Beowulf who is grinning at me, no one noticing because of the celebration. I cheeks redden and I smile back and slowly move away and go to wait in the hall. Beowulf appears soon later and grins when he sees me sheepishly waiting for him.

He wraps his muscular arms around me and lifts me and I bite back a squeal. I lower my head and cup his cheeks with my hands and kiss him. It was simply to be a kiss good night but the kiss metamorphosis into something else. Something of passion and longing and need. He quickly puts me back down and I try not to pout like a child.

"We must stop here for I will soon need more. And I wish for you and your tired bod to sleep and dream of me this evening, not fill my desires. For you see we have a long journey the next dawn." Beowulf says. My heart and face fall and I try not to weep, at least not in front of him.

That is correct, the man I love and that has tainted me will soon be leaving. Beowulf just stares at me "By we I do not mean You and I or the men and I. By we I am addressing Grendal's arm, the men and you and I, Arietta." Beowulf says. At his words I let my tears fall and his face looks startled.

"Why do you sob? Had I said something to offend you?" he asks and I wrap my arms around him and hold him tightly. "Beowulf I cry in joy not sadness or pain. But in joy." I say between soft sobs. I face him and smile as he wipes away a tear from my face, our gaze an intensity that would make others uncomfortable. He leans back in and kisses me once more but this kiss is sweet slow passion. As our lips mold together our love for each other grows.

He pulls away and presses his lips to my forehead and whispers the words "We leave at dawn. Come of you wish, for there is a place on my ship and a place at my side." He pauses "Good night." He whispers. He starts to pull away but I hold him still and hug him tightly and kiss his cheek. "Good night my love." I say. He smiles at my words and thus we part.

When I go to my room, Beowulf's words start to sink in. Could I truly leave? Leave this dwelling of mine that I have grown since birth? As I cross the room I think can I really cross the same room the path to room everyday till death claims me? Someone pray every night to leave this hall but with lack of husband they can not.

When I reach my bed and see a sleeping Gretla my heart breaks. Can I leave Gretla, my mother all these women who are as if my family. As I lay in my makeshift bed, now in my garments of sleep I could feel an inner war breaking up my heart. Most women here have to watch as their first love of their lives have taken them, loved them and leave them. Having to be trapped here for the rest of their lives nursing a broken heart.

I toss and turn all night long hearing as the men's celebration dies down as the evening gets thicker. When I finally do fall asleep it is light and not to long later I wake up but my mind is cloudy. Why did I wake?

Then I hear it once more a loud bang but his time company by men yelling. I sit up seeing that I am the only one disturbed by the noise in the dark room. I do not even bother to put my hair back up. I just put on a skirt as I run the only thing on my mind is Beowulf's safety.

I loom in the hall's door seeing king Hrothgar on the floor near a bloody body. Before my heart may jump to conclusions Beowulf stands behind him already putting on his mail shirt. What has happened? But then my question is answered. The men speak of how Grendal's mother as come and murdered our king's best mate and of how Beowulf will fight to avenge him, retrieve Grendal's arm and kill the beast.

All the men leave the hall and I deiced I will follow.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I wonder through the trees, making sure to be quiet as I follow the men of Denmark and the Geats in the dark. The trees loom high over me and the smell of nature filling my lungs with every breath. The men's longer legs carry them farther ahead and I must run to keep up. I stagger trying to avoid my skirt and the roots and sticks on the ground. We must have traveled two miles before we reach wherever we were going.

The air became humid and muggy. I had to take deeper breathes and dare to raise my skirt above my ankles… to my shins. Although my warm skin welcomes the air brisking over my legs. Finally we stop and the heat seems to double in magnitude. I look through the trees and see a boiling lake surrounded my sharp rocks, and stem rises into the dark sky.

I watch as the men question Beowulf's sureness before he gave a speech about how brave he is. Then he jumps into the lake head first and I feel myself fall; the world suddenly went black. When I open my eyes again I feel fine, even hollow, but then the mighty pain strikes and fills my body. I take a sharp breath then release it as a airy whimper of pain. I sit up slowly, straightening my spine as my head throb faintly but as much power as an earthquake all at the same time. I gather myself up to my feet and lean on a tree for support. I stare at the boiling lake with tears gathering in my eyes before they spilled over.

For hours I stayed on the tree, crying and praying for Beowulf to come up. Finally my silent tears became audible, and I let out a small wail and all the men turn towards me. "Who be there? Another monstrosity of hell?" a man comes forward, the sharp end of his sword ready to jab.

"Come out!" the man yells before I walk out from behind the trees.

"Halt! Let her be! I recognize this girl." King Hrothgar says. He monitions me forward "Come here child." He says. I hesitant before walking up to him and bowing to my knees, lowering my head.

"I deeply apologize your highness." I say.

"For?" he asks.

"For leaving the great herot, majesty." I say staring into the ground. "To be graced with refreshing air is expectable. But alas to come this far for it is not. This be here the dwelling of monsters. Very dangerous for a lady." Hrothgar says. I nod still glaring into the patch of earth. "Stand child, all is forgiven." He says.

King Hrothgar speeches of how Beowulf plunged into the boiling lake to fight Grendal's mother and how they all have been waiting here ever since. "Do yee think he be dead? A floating corpse that hovers over the sand floor?" one man asks. The Geats defended their prince but the Danes soon lost their patience and returned to Herot.

What a dishonorable bunch.

I stayed and waited with the Geats and the dark sky began to lightens from the kiss of the sun. Will Beowulf ever be coming back?

"Behold! A stir within the water!" a man shouts and we all run to the shore of the lake to see Beowulf, his mail shirt destroyed, with the head of Grendal and a giant hilt of a sword. I hold out a cry of his glorious site. When his beautiful brown orbs meet mine I want to weep and thank heaven. He smiles and rushes up to me and throws his arms around me, I blush the public display of affection almost shameful.

"Men, I have returned. With a prideful victory. And with a princess.

**The next morning**

Here be morning, another start after another joyous celebration. But atlas my last one. In all my years of servitude nor did I believe my days of hard work were to be limited. If so I would have made them count so much more. I would have aim to make myself humbler and a greater person. I would have savored the days with mother and Gretla and the other girls.

But now I leave to embark on a new life.

"Arietta, thus be set to adjourn, my love?" I take Beowulf's hand and nod as we both walk to the ship that we will sail us to home.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

My name be Aria, I live in the prosperous kingdom of the Geats. My father, the King Beowulf has ruled for fifty years and is a good king. No a great king, but an awful father. He had abounded my mother, Arietta and I on our own. Without husband, without a father, without any man.  
But I refuse to sit by and doodle when my mother fends for us. I struggle to live in a man's world. The army has rejected me as both a woman willing to serve on the battlefield but also a woman disguised as a man. My neighbor and good friend Wiglaf has been accepted. He has always been willing to lend a helping hand to us. We both share humble roots and maybe a history that could be a story to tell young girls.  
I remembered our days as children, and our journey in life together.  
**Flashback**  
"Wiglaf! Wiglaf!" My small high voice chimes like bells as I run out my window, across the patch greenery to the small hut that dwells next to our humble little shelter. My brown hair untangles itself from the worn out ribbon my mother has wrapped around my hair. My small bare feet pad against the earth and struggle not to get caught in my green floor length shirt.  
My white shirt frees itself from being tightly tucked away into my skirt. I barely dig my toes into the earth to come to a decent halt. My small body crashes into the side of the wood hut and the window opens and a small boy's head pops up.  
"Goodness Aria, the heavens can hear you and they wish you to be silent like the rest of our world." A young Wiglaf says. His blonde hair rides his small shoulder blades and the blowing wind. His green eyes glisten with teasing mock erring and all I could do is smile back.  
"Then let the heavens hear me shout for wonderful Wiglaf!" I say. "I am not wonderful, how do you dare call me by such a feminine word? You will make me weaker." Wiglaf says hopping out the window. I laugh and grab his small hand mine "Atlas Wiglaf, you are such a wonderful thing that earth has been lucky to be bless with." I say still smiling.  
The corner of his mouth twitches and he looks away. "What news do you holler about?" Wiglaf asks as he turns away from me. My small hands grab both his cheeks and I turn his head to my child face. "Let me see your fair face, it is what I have came to see. Not to talk to air." I say smiling. The young Wiglaf laughs nervously before taking my hand and leading me to the woods.  
"A challenge?" Wiglaf asks as we meet the forest edge. "If you arrive at the center before I, then you may tell me the news that take your mind's focus." Wiglaf says. "And if you become victor?" I ask. "Then I get one slavery wish from thee." Wiglaf says.  
"I accept." I say. "And... Off!" Wiglaf says as we booth take off. We dodge trees, hurtle over logs and skip above rocks. "You will never achieve this victory!" Wiglaf calls. "Do not cry in agony when thou have to come last." I shout. I take a sharp turn, filtering through the tall oak tresses. The sky is mix of green and blue.  
I pull to a halt to see Wiglaf lounging against a tree and I stomp my foot. "Looks like your shortcut 'twas not short enough." He says a smile plastered on his face. "Curses." I mutter. "Aria, a lady lets such foul language spew from her tongue." Wiglaf says embarking closer to myself.  
"Atlas I am not be a lady, I be a girl. A mere child." I say with a grin. "But soon you will grow and prosper into a lady. Best to rehearsal for the role that god intends for thee." Wiglaf says.  
"I have plenty time to grow, I will grow my entire life. But I do not wish to prosper into a lady to be wedded off and bare children then to crumble away from existence. No. I wish to become brave and mighty and to travel! To corners of the world, depths of seas, colors of people and the density of the deserts. I want to grab the fruit of life when ripe and enjoy its sweetness within every bite." The young naive me says.  
"Are you mad woman?" Wiglaf asks with wide eyes. I grin "But most of all I wish to serve our great kingdom. To fight with its glorious title." Wiglaf's blue eyes look as if they were to fall out. "You have indeed gone mad. But surely there must be another form of dedication." Wiglaf mutters.  
"However is there so, for a female?" I sigh. We were quit for a moment before Wiglaf spook again. "I'll fight and serve for thee, for thy honor, title and pride." Wiglaf says his cheeks pink. I stare at him before my lips split into a smile. "How sweet of thee." I say going on my tip toes and placing a kiss upon his cheek. His widen and his hand flies to cover to which my lips pecked.  
"But although Wiglaf, we shall serve together, side by side." I say gripping his hand and giving me an excited look. He sighs "My eyes see that you are so lost in thy world that I cannot save you from it's intoxicating spell." He says grinning and I smile back.  
"Now... As for my wish." He says and my happy face falls. "Even is even, you had one, now bind me." I say sighing. Wiglaf's cheeks turn pinkish again and he goes deep into thought, falling into the caverns of his mind. "Since we'll be fighting together, and you say you will not wed let's form an arrangement." He says.  
"An arrangement?" I ask and the blonde child nods. "We survive together and grow together and be with each others always. I command you to be with me forever and a day." He says his cheeks now red. I stare at him with my brown eyes.  
"That be all?" I ask and he hesitantly nods p, his cheeks aflame. A smile lights up my face. "Wiglaf that be the greatest thing to pray for. No pain or struggle require. Consider me yours, I would love with my all to forever at your side." I say. At the time I did not know the depth of my words nor did I value it.  
He smiles, and holds my hand, leading us along through the woods.  
**Today**  
I stare out my window of my humble shack, staring out to Wiglaf's family's dwellings. Wiglaf has grown to the age of twenty one, much like me but has ripped himself from his roots. He; now sworn into the royal guards fights. But I still unwed, still stubborn and very much unladylike still sleep by my roots.  
"Aria, my child come heather. I much to say." I turn to my mother, her brown mane now gray at thy roots and thin, her hands shaky and old. Yes much time has passed.  
"Yes mother?" I ask walking to her and clutching her frail hand. I kneel at her feet and look up at her like I have for so much of my life. She sighs then looks down at me with tears in her brown eyes. "I have kept something from you, kept Locke away in the depths of my worn heart. But now that time is thinning itself I speak and proclaim." She says, my eyes widen but I stay silent.  
"Oh sweet child, child of love and child that I love with my all... You father... He be... The king. King Beowulf be the father to you, a child born of passion and youthfulness." I stay mute, as if my lips have been sown together.  
"I know thou not believe me, but today be his last day on this earth before his soul takes flight to heaven. I heard of wind that he will fight a horrific dragon. He is not young no longer, so quickly, leave. Go to him before... Before..." my mother couldn't complete her sentence. A shaky gust of wind rips through her and she weeps loudly.  
Her words float on the surface of my mind, still hovering by heads and echoing. Suddenly I launch to my feet and run, grabbing my skirt as I fly towards the household of Wiglaf. "I'll be back!" I call to my mother as I cross the threshold and run to the window of Wiglaf's corters.  
I swing open the window and climb in, my body knowing what is to be done before I know myself. I find his old mail shirt and amor, the one he trained in before his body sprouted like a tree, himself becoming to large for it. I change hurriedly, the metal suit a wee large for my petite frame, but I endure it. Finally I take an old sword and jump out the window and start to run.  
Why hadn't I seen it before? The way mother would always steel herself when King Beowulf was mentioned. The story of how mother changed kingdoms the extract timing to which the king and his men sailed to Denmark and came back! How did my eyes go blind and my ears go deaf to the truth?The words of my mother finally sink and I feel tears build in the corners of my eyes. But I refuse to let the sign of weakness fall.  
I steady my swaying heart and continue to run, till I reach the dragon's castle. I hide in the woods and peak out to king Beowulf... My father old and frail, but also brave struggle with the dragon. He might die, bringing down the dragon before I may have speech with him.  
Why does he fight alone? Where be the other men? Where be Wiglaf?  
If he must die, then I refuse to stand here as some weak damsel. I run out from the trees, and another warrior comes with me by my side. I turn to see... Wiglaf. He, no child no more. His frame meaty with muscle, tall and broad shoulder and his blonde hair oddly cut to short. He turns to me and his blue eyes widen in alarm.  
"Say nothing! Please... Just fight at my side!" I call and he nods. We head onward the flames making the air melt into gushing hot winds. Beowulf sees us, and an energy brighten his brown eyes, and makes his strength return. Wiglaf and I stab at the inner belly but it is king Beowulf who slathers the dragon.  
He lays tiredly on the ground and I feel my heart tighten. "Who be?" Beowulf gasps. "The warrior Wiglaf and..." Wiglaf turns to me. "The daughter of Arietta." I say and Beowulf's brown eyes tear. "I am glad to see that she has wed to another, and had a child and..."  
"Sire! My mother has finally spoke the truth, I be a child of unconventional methods and ways. I be a child of a youthful love." I say. "I am yours." I say falling to my knees next to my dying father.  
"So it be so?" Tears form in the old king's eye but he does not let them fall. ",y memory tells me when I have journey through the village and of how my eyes were captivated by thee. A stranger of how the resemblance so near myself. You bowed when I came, not curtsy." He laughs. So we do have a memory. He runs his hand through my hair then my cheek.  
"I regret not knowing of thy earlier, since the dawn of thy birth." He says before turning to Wiglaf. "Warrio, you are brave unlike the others, be the next king. But make my blood reign as well." He say before closing his eyes.  
"I love you father!" I shout hurriedly that he hears before he leaves me. "And I thee." He says before going cold beneath my fingers. I look to Wiglaf then back to father,  
"No!" I scream and wail over his lifeless body.**  
Months later**  
"Who would have assumed that you of all people be wed?" Wiglaf says as our bare feet walk in the sand of the beach, Wiglaf's amor covered lop with mine. Like father had wish, Wiglaf has now become king. In honor of father, Wiglaf has built a large tower here at the sea, where my father's body sleeps peacefully, over looking the sea. "I broke my one of my goal." I say as my white dress swipes against my feet. But we turn to each and smile "But I kept my promise, to always be at your side." I say.  
"And soon you will keep your other goal, to serve your kingdom, now as queen." Wiglaf grins. That is right, after out wedding ceremony today, I will be sworn in as queen. Wiglaf and I walk down an aisle of sand, heading towards the light house the persist that waits for us. We pass smiling faces of villagers, warriors, noblemen and my mother.  
My white dress flows in the breeze, lapping my braid that held with flowers and a crown of flowers rests on my head and in my hands. We stop at the doors of the lighthouse, the persist welcoming the guest then going into a chant that everyone had sang along with.  
Once done filling the air with melody he had bonded Wiglaf and I together, forever and a day.


End file.
